


Technically Single

by knockoutqueenoftheunderworld



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Alcohol, Cuddling, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Jealousy, Pining, Post-Movie, bogo ships it, but no actual drunken shenanigans, clawhauser ships it, the bogo/gazelle thing was an accident
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-07
Updated: 2016-03-07
Packaged: 2018-05-25 09:33:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6189277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knockoutqueenoftheunderworld/pseuds/knockoutqueenoftheunderworld
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Directly after Gazelle's show, Chief Bogo, Clawhauser, Judy and Nick get to meet the singer herself. Clawhauser freaks. Bogo tries to contain himself and manages to be almost charming. One of the male tiger dancers takes an interest in Judy, and that's when it all starts to go sour. Inspired by <a href="http://letitradoart.tumblr.com/post/140213230703/nick-gets-jealous-judy-talking-to-tigers-cuz-i">this lovely fanart</a>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Technically Single

Gazelle in concert was something Judy had never considered would ever be an option in her life. She had always had bigger carrots to cook, after all! Yet here she was in Zootopia, her partner by her side, the big and small bodies of animals crammed into every nook and cranny to get a good look and listen of the horned singer.

“You can get into it, you know!” Judy laughed, doing a spinning hop to the beat of the music. “Bogo and Clawhauser are!” Nick rolled his eyes, smiling at her in a fond way that had her heart lurching to more than just Gazelle’s high notes.

“I have an image to maintain, Carrots.” Regardless, he began to sway. In no way was he as enthusiastic as Bogo, but Judy supposed she would have to pick her battles.

“ _Try… everything._ ” Gazelle let her last tone waver in the air, and the crowd went wild. Judy cheered and jumped up and down; Nick smiled and applauded with dignity. “Thank you Zootopia!” She cried. The four tigers around her waved as the platform lowered back to the ground and they were escorted off by security.

“JUDY!” Judy jumped and followed the twist of her ears to look to Clawhauser, who was motioning her over frantically as if she had a triple box of Gazelle-themed donuts.

“What is it?” she asked when she’d reached him. Nick was right beside her, pretending that all the world bored him. Judy knew better.

A warty pig stood with the other two officers looking official in sunglasses and a security suit. He gave her and Nick a slow nod.

“We get to meet her!” Clawhauser was prancing on his paws in a hilarious sort of dance. Bogo beside him had yet to break his excited grin. “You saved the city, she said if you wanted to…”

“Only if I can take you with me!” Judy exclaimed.

“YES!” Bogo and Clawhauser shouted together. Bogo immediately schooled his expression and cleared his throat.

“Let’s get on with it, then,” Nick sighed. They all pretended not to notice him walk the quickest after the warty pig as he led them towards Gazelle’s backstage area. His paw twitched on Judy’s sleeve as he dragged her along to keep up with him.

Gazelle stood in what was obviously a meet-and-greet room, equipped with several couches, a snack table, and a professional photography area with a backdrop and a doe holding some expensive-looking cameras and gear. She was talking to a lemur in a t-shirt that read TECH. Her four tiger dancers lounged about in their stage wear; two were playing a heated game of cards, one was wearing glasses while studiously reading _The Predator Games_ and the fourth was refilling his glass of wine.

“Ah! You must be Judy Hopps,” Gazelle greeted as they approached. The lemur disappeared, and Judy put a grin on her face and slipped out of Nick’s grip.

“I’m so pleased to meet you! It’s such an honor!” She hopped over and shook Gazelle’s hand. Gazelle didn’t let go for a long moment. The room seemed to hold its breath.

“Ah can’t thank you enough for solving the case that saved my city,” Gazelle breathed, offering a smile that was quieter than the one plastered on the billboards but somehow was a thousand times more beautiful.

“It was no trouble,” Judy insisted. Nick cleared his throat. “This is my partner, Nick, and my coworkers Bogo and Clawhauser.” The tension popped like a bubble. Clawhauser asked for a picture with Gazelle, and then two, and then one with all of them and Gazelle, and one with him and Bogo and Gazelle, and one for Judy and Nick and Gazelle, and then one more of him and Gazelle “for the heck of it.” Gazelle took a liking to him immediately, and the cheetah was obviously beside himself with excitement. Bogo kept her in conversation, and Judy never thought she’d see the buffalo _blush_ , for Pete’s sake. Gazelle invited them all to the snack table and to take a seat as she debated with the chief about the pros and cons of some issue or another.

And Judy, oh lands, was she hungry.

She helped herself to some celery and peanut butter and saw Nick down the way attack a plate of sushi. She had started on the carrots and hummus when a shadow fell over her. She looked up to see one of the tigers, the one with the wine, standing beside her.

“Hello,” he said, eyeing her like she was a curious specimen.

Judy rushed to finish chewing her carrot. “Hi,” she replied, wondering what he wanted. When no response came, she continued, “Great job out there, you were all so in sync, I was impressed.”

“Lots of practice. Do you want a drink?” He had a slight accent in his rich baritone.

Surprised, Judy nodded. “I would love one, thank you.”

He led her to a nearby table with two chairs and poured her and himself a glass of wine. She sat, and the tiger sat across from her. Judy could hear Nick huffing under his breath at not being invited, the silly fox. “Nick! Come over here!” Her partner was almost immediately at her side, dragging a chair along with him. Suddenly stone-faced, the tiger sloshed more wine into a glass. Nick took it with just as much force. Judy frowned, wondering at Nick’s sudden rudeness.

Nick sipped his wine, and didn’t break eye contact with the tiger. Then they both looked away to Judy.

“My name is Bronson Cain,” the tiger said with a smile.

“Judy Hopps,” she chirped back, reaching out to shake his paw. Instead, he turned her paw and kissed the top of it. Judy tried to think of something to say. Anything.

In the background, Gazelle laughed at something Bogo had said, and Bogo’s deep chuckle followed hers like lightning after thunder.

“Ah, yes, the bunny detective who stopped a war,” Bronson let go of her paw. Was it tingling? No, that was silly. This close, she could see the delicate stripes around his eyes and the glittery black stage makeup that highlighted his strong features.

“Well, I wouldn’t exactly call it a _war_ …” Judy said modestly. Her gaze fell to Bronson’s furry chest, which was exactly at her eye level, and she had to snap her eyes away.

“Don’t sell yourself short, sweetheart,” Bronson said, smiling at her over the rim of his glass. Nick tensed up almost imperceptibly, and Judy looked to him with concern.

“Are you alright?” she asked, touching his arm.

His teeth were clenched. “Peachy,” he told her, but his eyes were fixed on Bronson.

“Judy,” Bronson said slowly. “Would you like another glass?”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Isn’t this great?” Clawhauser exclaimed, scraping a chair across the floor and settling down across from Nick. He had a plate filled with donuts. Bronson eyed him with apprehension, but moved to pour him some wine from the bottle on the table. “No, thank you, I don’t drink,” Clawhauser said absently. He was watching Gazelle from across the room. She and Bogo had migrated to the couch. “Can you believe this?” he asked Judy and Nick. “I’ve never seen the chief so animated! Oh, hello, I’m Benjamin Clawhauser.” He held out his paw like he was gearing up to arm wrestle, and Bronson took it with obvious shock. He and Clawhauser did an odd sort of handshake, akin to something shared between comrades-at-arms.

“I’m surprised you-”

“I married a tiger,” Clawhauser replied with a crooked smile. “I know some of the gestures. Sorry, I tend to get a little too friendly on the first meeting.” He nodded apologetically at Judy, who raised her glass to him.

“It’s fine.” Bronson was smiling. “Do you know much about the Eastern ways?”

“No, but I’d love to learn about them sometime. Give Serge a run for his money at knowing something tiger that he doesn’t.”

“Here’s something to start you out with…” Bronson launched into an elaborate monologue about politics and legends concerning royalty and imports and exports and oil. He lost Judy about twenty seconds in, so she left the big cats to it and turned to Nick.

“You’re quiet,” she observed. Nick looked up at her and then down at his empty glass. She passed him the bottle.

“Just tired.”

“You’re lying.” She knew she couldn’t push too hard, but hey, she worried.

“It’s been a weird day,” Nick replied. His ears weren’t drooping, so he probably wasn’t sad; instead they were flat against his head like he was angry. But what could he be angry about?

Judy leaned in close, and she must’ve caught Nick off guard because his breath hitched. “Did Bronson do something to offend you?”

“What? No,” Nick replied, his green eyes honest. “No, nothing like that.”

“Then what is it?” she asked. She rubbed behind one of his ears and he almost relaxed. Almost. “You’re not being your sarcastic, sassy self.”

“Hey, I can snap back at you any time, Carrots, but crowds take a lot out of me.” That _could_ be true, Judy supposed, but Nick normally did fine in these situations. Nick shot a glance at Bronson. “I thought you’d like me wholesome.”

“Here, let me give you my number,” Bronson was saying to Clawhauser, and then he turned to Judy. “And I’d like yours too, Sweetheart.” Judy blushed vibrantly under her fur. Bunnies were more subtle, she supposed, unused to the attention. Bronson held out his phone and Judy reached out to take it when Nick let out a deep, guttural growl.

Unbidden, Judy flinched. Normally Nick would be on her in an instant, apologizing for catching her off guard or bringing up bad memories, even though sounds of anger made her jumpy regardless of what animal they came from. This time, however, he didn’t even look at her, too busy staring Bronson down.

Bronson’s lips curled into what would surely be a ferocious snarl. They had the attention of the room now, the other three tigers were staring and Gazelle looked at them like they’d all grown two heads. Bogo grunted, exasperated and ready to jump up to stop whatever Nick had started. And Clawhauser… Clawhauser seemed almost ecstatic.

Nick’s jaws snapped open and closed, letting out the most enraged growl Judy had ever heard. Surprisingly, it sent shivers down her spine in a _very_ improper way.

“If that’s how it is,” Bronson breathed finally, “Then _fine_. Officer Hopps, I apologize for being so forward and giving you attention that you deserve. Even though,” he directed this statement at Nick, “she is technically single.” Clawhauser exhaled slowly, as though he had been holding his breath for a while.

Judy breathed deeply. “Nick, I don’t need you policing my love life.”

Nick’s ears flipped up to attention immediately, then one drooped back down. He looked ashamed and was turning red under his fur, obviously embarrassed. “Carrots, _Judy_ , I-”

“You can’t blame me for trying to take what isn’t yours,” Bronson said primly.

“Excuse me, I am _not_ some object you two can fight over,” Judy snapped.

“That’s not what I meant, Sweethea-” Bronson cut himself off at Nick’s warning snarl. “All I’m saying is that while Wilde over here putters around pining for you I am ready and willing to take you out.” He shrugged. “And I’m not anxious to refrain, if you’re interested.”

Nick liked her. Nick was _pining_ for her? Judy spared her partner a glance. He was blushing even worse and couldn’t keep their eye contact, staring instead at Bronson with a mix of determination, rage, and discomfort, ears flat against his head once more, looking for all the world like he was ready to attack at any given moment.

“No, I can’t say I am,” Judy replied. Nick managed to look at her. She took his paw and squeezed it tight. His ears flicked straight back up where they should be, and she smiled. “I would love to pine together with you, Nick.” She wrinkled her nose. “Or be yours, if that’s what you want to call it.” Nick, speechless, couldn’t seem to move.

“Um,” one of the other tigers said in the silence.

“Shhhh! Don’t ruin the moment!” Clawhauser was leaning on one of his paws, elbow against the table, his face wistful and happy all at once.

“I think it’s too late for that,” Bogo replied. He strode over and placed a hoof on each of Judy and Nick’s shoulders. “We should go,” he told Gazelle with obvious regret. She flicked her hair and gave him a lovely smile and he stuttered, “Er, thanks for the- we appreciate the- it was just lovely- thank you.” Judy let out a tiny chuckle, and she hopped off of the chair, tugging Nick with her.

“Thank you,” she told Bronson. _Thanks for bringing us together_. He nodded at her wordlessly, and his mouth quirked up into a smirk.

“Can’t say I won’t regret it. See you, Judy Hopps.”

“Ready to go?” Judy asked even as Gazelle gave Bogo a peck on the cheek and he nearly fell over. Clawhauser was at his side, steering them over to the door.

“Thank you!” Judy said to Gazelle. The singer flipped her hair, toeing the ground.

“Anytime. I’ll let you backstage anytime.” Gazelle squinted then. “Provided your boyfriend doesn’t try to fight my backup dancer next time.”

“I’ll do you one better and _also_ bring the buffalo,” Gazelle blushed gracefully and Judy laughed. “Good night!” 

* * *

“Did you mean it?” Nick whispered into the early morning light. Judy knew by the soft tone of his voice that she wasn't supposed to hear that.

Didn't stop her ears, though.

“Mm,” she mumbled, rolling over in his arms so they were face to face. His lips were still swollen from their slightly tipsy stolen kisses. They lay in a tangle in Judy's rickety bed, fully clothed and clinging to each other. The night before, they had exchanged words and touches and promptly fallen asleep. Judy's head was pounding from the alcohol, but that didn't make her any less confident in this. “Nick?” she let her eyes flit open and saw his green ones widen in shock and fear. He looked as apprehensive as the day she'd hustled him with his tax evasion, but now she could read every line on his face.

He swallowed. The sound echoed around in Judy's ears. His paws tightened on her small waist; Judy shuffled closer. “Yeah?”

“Be mine?” she leaned up and over to touch his nose with hers. Her paws found their way around his neck and his exhale was long and hot.

“Yeah, Carrots. Judes. God, I would love to be.”

Judy's ears perked up. Nick followed them with his eyes and trailed them back down to her face. It was Judy's turn to be awed. He was looking at her like she was a miracle.

He turned them then, catching her off guard, shifting so that she was laying entirely on top of his chest.

“Sly fox,” was all she could think of to say, suddenly breathless.

“Are we going to have this exchange every time I catch you off guard?” Nick murmured, nosing at her neck. “Dumb bunny,” he lamented.

Judy shot up straight as her phone went off on the side table. Nick whined as she rolled off of him to reach it. It was Chief Bogo. Judy blinked her eyes to get a better look at her alarm clock. “Shoot.” She slid off the bed to answer the phone, leaning away from Nick's reaching arms. “Chief, I'm sorry, I–”

“Take the day off, Hopps,” the chief's rumbling voice came off amused. “Wilde, too.”

“Thank you, sir, but you don't have to–”

“With the way you two were looking at and acting around each other, I'd rather not see you for a  _very_  long time. Unfortunately, the crime rates in this city do not allow that. See you tomorrow, Hopps.” The chief hung up the phone, leaving Judy blushing.

Nick was sitting up, rubbing his eyes and squinting. “Bogo? What did he say?”

“We have the day off.” Judy dropped her phone and launched herself back on top of him, knocking him back so he was flat against the bed once more. She kissed him gently on the lips. “And I don't want to waste it.”

“Sounds good, Carrots.” Nick replied. She felt his paws glide down her back. “I'm looking forward to the mutual pining.”

Judy rolled her eyes and kissed him again.

(So was she.)

**Author's Note:**

> Did my friend and I waste thirty minutes making up a tiger husband for Clawhauser? Yes, we did. (He's a pilot, his name is Serge, his stripes are so thick that he's mostly black, he and Clawhauser adopt several kittens that Serge's sister carried for them, he is more intense and serious and likes to shower Clawhauser with chocolate and flowers and other such sentimental shit)  
> Was it completely self-indulgent and unnecessary to the plot of this story? Yes.  
> Do I have any regrets? No.  
> Also there are probably errors in here if you see any let me know and I will fix them! Thanks :)  
> UPDATE: I wrote a prequel with Serge & Clawhauser and Nick & Judy! You can find it [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6313255).


End file.
